


A Love So True You Don't Have To Be Afraid

by homosociallyyours



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Dragons, Fairy Tale Elements, Just like IRL, Magic, Mild Gore, Niall Horan & Harry Styles Friendship, Niall Horan & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, Simon is EVIL, like very evil, will warn before the chapter it appears in so you can skip over it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-03 18:05:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15824151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homosociallyyours/pseuds/homosociallyyours
Summary: In a world long ago but not so far away, where true love is valued above all else, Louis and Harry have already found one another. Their lives are shaken by the arrival of Simon, whose heart is more than a bit shit, and who longs to sow unhappiness.When Louis is changed into a dragon and Harry is the knight meant to vanquish him, it would appear that Simon has succeeded. But love wins, every time.





	1. A Tale of True Love

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written as part of the 1D Hiatus Fic Fest, a fest that celebrates the solo work of all the members of One Direction. The song that I chose was "Fire Away" by Niall Horan, and I had a completely different fic started until I was seeing him perform it live and this idea came to me so suddenly that I had to write it down immediately. 
> 
> I'm so happy with how it turned out, and hope that you enjoy it too. This fic was written in the style of a story you might read aloud before bed, so if you have the chance to do that, I do recommend it. 
> 
> As always I owe a massive debt to my beta, [statementlou](http://statementlou.tumblr.com), who helped me clarify some important points and offered much needed critique and cheerleading. She's the best.

Long ago in a land not so far away, two boys fell in love. This wasn’t so uncommon where they came from, and it happened when they were young enough that most people thought nothing of it. They spent the early part of their teen years holding tight to one another through scrapes and adventures and slow days lying at the base of the stony mountains that surrounded their village. As they grew older, one of the boys, Harry, decided to train as a knight. It was hard and dangerous work, and although he knew it would keep him away from his true love, Louis, he did it nonetheless. 

Louis was happy that Harry had found something that made him happy, though he missed the carefree days of their youth. He liked having Harry with him when the summer days stretched out long and hot, and he hated having nobody to go swimming or sing songs or gaze at the clouds with. They were getting older, though, and Louis knew it was time to find work that he loved. He quickly discovered that his greatest joy came from working with children, especially singing with them and teaching them to lift their own voices in song.

While Harry was away training to become a valiant knight, Louis would go into the village and seek out the children who were too young to work, singing songs with them and teaching them how to bang out rhythms with sticks from the woods or dried gourds he’d stuffed with tiny pebbles. He’d teach them other things too, useful skills like counting up eggs and identifying birds and plants as well as the sorts of things he was happiest learning as a child, such as how to turn cartwheels and kick a ball properly and the best way to eat a gooey taffy candy from the shop in the middle of the village. 

And of course when Harry would come back after a week or two of training, Louis would greet him excitedly, the two of them sharing details of what they’d done while apart, tripping over their words and falling into easy embraces and soft kisses as if they’d never been apart. In short, they were happy. 

But the problem with things that happened long ago and not so far away is that they usually don’t stay happy for long-- otherwise we’d have no reason to tell the stories! --and Harry and Louis’ lives were no different. Their happiness was interrupted as the season changed from summer to fall, the days growing shorter and Harry being called away to finish the last of his training. He’d be staying for longer than usual, four whole weeks this time, and though both he and Louis cried over it they agreed that it would be for the best. Harry would return and be a knight of the village, protecting his people from any evils that lurked in the mountains, and Louis could stay and entertain the children, maybe even building a little stage to allow them to sing and perform for the other villagers after a while. 

So Harry left, and Louis gave himself one late summer day to feel properly sorry for himself, lying on his back and staring up at the clouds and watching the fog drift down into the valley from the top of the stony mountains and worrying for Harry’s safety. And the next day, he was back up and ready to go into the village, certain the children had missed him. 

It just so happened that a new villager-- a smooth talking man named Simon --had moved into the village in midsummer and had been watching Louis closely ever since. He’d heard that Louis had found his true love and lived with him, trouble free, for many years, and the thought of it twisted inside his gut like a knife.


	2. Simon and the Goblin Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Simon makes a deal with a goblin prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: this chapter contains some (mild) gore. In case you want to skim or skip, it's a single paragraph beginning, "The goblin held out his hand..." 
> 
> If by some chance you don't hate Simon Cowell, you may find this fic disturbing. If, like me, you think he's basically a monster in a human suit...enjoy.

As a youth, Simon had fallen in love with another man and been immediately cast from his village, told that he must wander alone for fifty years or until he saw the error of his ways. This alone could leave a person bitter if they let it, but the path that Simon walked was a darker one. He sought out a goblin prince and begged for a curse, offering favors and servitude in return. 

Now the goblin prince was neither good nor bad, and cared little for the lives of humans, but he’d just given birth to his first horde of young goblins, and their high-pitched giggles and scritchy little coos had softened his heart a bit, so he agreed to make a deal with poor, bedraggled, lonely Simon. He hadn’t gone too soft though. The goblin prince would give Simon three powers that he could use at any time in the next fifty years, but in exchange he required Simon’s heart for safekeeping until it would be replaced with his soul. 

The first was the power of reflection. This would allow Simon the ability to reflect his own feelings, experiences, or emotions onto as many people as he liked within his line of sight. “You may use it for sadness or joy, anger or peace, whatever you choose. But it takes its price. The emotion you reflect will never leave you.” Simon nodded at the warning, already sure how he’d use the first power. 

The second was the curse of change. The curse could be bestowed upon anyone, and would cause their appearance to reflect whatever horrible image Simon chose. The curse could only be broken by true love’s kiss, the goblin explained. “One whose life is already bleak must learn to change in order to find love, and one whose life has been blessed must struggle to prove that their love is true, not tied only to lust or convenience. Your kind struggle to adapt.” The goblin prince held out a stone that glowed with an orange light, dropping it into Simon’s open hand. “Remember all things have a price. The curse will change you, too, in ways that you will neither know nor understand.” 

Simon bowed to the prince, rolling his eyes while his face was turned down. He’d already forgotten the warning by the time the goblin was ready to give him his third power, a fact of which the goblin prince was keenly aware. 

The final power was that of the great death. Simon’s eyes grew wide as he thought of what it could entail, eager to receive the power from the goblin prince and be on his way. Already he was thinking of being rid of his heart and walking out with his three powers, full of triumph and ready to have his revenge. 

“The power of the great death is not what it seems,” the goblin prince said, picking up one of his hordelings and swinging it slowly back and forth until it let out a loud, gaseous belch. “The great death may be bestowed upon anyone, and it will fundamentally change how they see things, how they act, what they believe. A part of them will die, and in its place something new will be born. What that new thing is, you will neither see nor control.” Simon gave the goblin a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, unimpressed with the power of the great death but trying to think of ways he could use it to his benefit. 

“The great death exacts a large toll on the one who uses it. When you wield it, the intended will undergo their change. And when their change is complete, your body will join your heart here with me. You will serve me as one who neither lives nor dies, doing my bidding in exchange for what I’ve given to you. Are we in agreement?” 

The goblin held out his hand, and Simon reached out to shake it, ready to seal the deal. He was surprised, then, when the goblin crooked his finger, summoning Simon closer with his powerful magic, and used his long, sharp fingernail to slice down Simon’s chest, swinging open his ribcage as if it were a wardrobe door. Simon watched as the goblin cut out his heart, setting it down in a box that was quickly carried away by one of his attendants, and reached down to pick up the gaseous little hordeling again, this time taking off the nappy it was wearing and dumping the contents unceremoniously into Simon’s chest cavity before slamming it closed and sealing it back up with the slide of a shit-covered finger. 

Simon looked down with a grimace, the smell of goblin shit sticking to the inside of his nostrils and making him wretch. “And what if I’d said I didn’t agree?” he asked, feeling the spot where his heart was sputtering and gurgling instead of beating as it used to. 

“No chance of that, human,” the goblin laughed. “I saw your mind and your heart from the moment you entered, every word and action written for me as if they were a story passed down through the ages. The pact is sealed. Go, before my children get hungry.” 

One of the hordelings was climbing up Simon’s leg, the beginning of silvery fangs glinting in his wide open mouth as he squealed loudly. Simon shook his leg until the infant fell off and then turned to run away, his lack of a heart not impeding him at all.


	3. Louis and Simon Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Simon meets Louis and begins to scheme.

When Simon met Louis, he’d already used the first of his powers. In fact he’d used it just days after leaving the goblin prince. He’d run away and immediately headed toward the village he’d been banished from not long before, sneaking in under the cover of darkness and staying hidden in the town square until the weekly town meeting was called to order. At that point he’d rushed to the front of the crowd and stood before them, staring them all down as he unleashed the mixture of sadness, anger, and pain that he’d felt over being denied his love. 

The town began to crumble almost immediately under the weight of their collective feelings. Families who’d loved one another were filled with hate and confusion, happy couples were abandoning one another, suddenly sad and angry. Shouts and wails rose up and tears began to fall down, streaming from the eyes of every villager until the ground was wet with them. Simon pushed his way through the crowd, finally spotting the man he’d loved wailing at the back of the throng, but he found that any feelings of love or desire he’d once felt were replaced with bitterness and disgust. He shoved the man out of his way and strode off, listening to the sound of the village’s cries with a pleased smile on his face. 

Of course, that was long ago. He’d held onto his second and third powers for nearly thirty years now, waiting for the right moment to unleash either one. Then along came Louis. 

They met on a warm summer evening when Louis had just finished teaching the village children a simple song that he’d written just for them. The children were gathered around Louis not far from the town well, the younger ones singing out “la la la” instead of words and the older children doing their best to follow along. Louis smiled down at them, nodding along as they all sang together. “That’s great!” he said, clapping his hands as they finished. “How about we meet back here tomorrow and practice a bit more before the midsummer fair?” 

The children nodded, laughing as they dispersed. A few of them stayed behind, helping Louis put their makeshift instruments into a bag, still singing the song they’d been learning. Simon was watching from the edge of the clearing, leaning back against a tree and scowling at the scene when Louis met his gaze. 

“Oi oi! Did you like the song?” Louis called out cheerfully, giving Simon a friendly wave before bending back down to answer a question from one of the children. 

Simon schooled his features, masking the scowl on his face as a grimace of discomfort as he pushed away from the tree and moved to approach Louis. “They’re out of tune,” he said, looking askance at the children still standing beside Louis. “Practically murdering your simple little tune. It could be much better if you pushed them harder.” 

Louis cocked his head to the side, staring back at Simon with disbelief. “I’d say they smashed it, seeing as that was their first time ever hearing or singing it. By the festival, they’ll be amazing. And even if they make mistakes, we’ll still have fun doing it, won’t we, lads?” He ruffled the hair of the boy standing next to him as he gave the other child a wink. “That’s the whole point.” 

The children gave Louis a squeeze and then ran off together, leaving Simon and Louis alone. “Mm, I suppose if you don’t care about your future then fun could be the point,” Simon said with a shrug, staring Louis down. “I made the same mistake once too.” 

“What’s that mean?” Louis asked, pulling his bag of instruments up onto his shoulder. He was looking back at Simon with his full attention, and Simon smiled slyly to himself. 

“Oh, I was exactly like you in my youth. Thought I could do what I liked without a care in the world, just have fun. I taught the children in my village how to sing and dance, even had a few of the groups go off traveling on their own. But then the village turned against me the moment the first of their children didn’t find success.” Simon began to walk away, listening for the tell-tale sound of Louis’ bag of instruments rattling to be sure he was following. “I didn’t think they’d ever take it so far as to turn me out of my home and kill my true love, but they did, eventually.” 

Louis was following silently, and Simon turned back, trying to seem casual. “Of course, you’re too young to have a true love. Or a calling to music. If this is only a lark to you, it’s different.” 

“Oh, but I do have a true love; his name is Harry. We found one another when we were small. And making music is what I love the most-- singing, playing instruments, writing songs --though teaching it to others is just as much fun for me.” Louis reached up and tugged a loose branch off of a tree, giving it a little shake before shoving it into his bag with a pleased smile. “And I don’t think our village is like yours. Or maybe times are different. Can’t imagine being cast out of here! Or ever leaving, really.” 

Simon looked away, rolling his eyes and sighing. “I certainly hope not. I’ve only just settled here, but I would love to find a village that doesn’t disappoint me the way my own did. It’s harder than you might think.” He didn’t mention that in the many villages he’d visited since making his deal with the goblin prince he’d done little but sow discord as he tried to find someone who he felt truly deserved his curse. “This is where I live,” he said, gesturing toward a small hut he’d built for himself. “Perhaps I’ll visit your music practices some time.” 

“Yeah?” Louis grinned back at him. “Can’t say no to more help teaching the kids a new song or two. And maybe you’ll know some music I don’t.” He waved to Simon as he went on his way. “See you tomorrow, mate!” 

Simon pushed open the door of his hut, smiling to himself. He needed to learn more about this young man, sure, but he was definitely the most promising candidate for his curse in years. He pulled the curse from his pocket, rolling the smooth stone between his fingers until its orange glow filled the room, thoughts of sadness and pain-- of teaching someone else those things --running wild through his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Simon lies to Louis about his true love and what he did before being cast from his village, though at this point he has told so many bitter lies about his origins that he doesn't really remember what actually happened to him. Also in case you were wondering, he can't carry a tune in a bucket and hates hearing children singing, no matter how well they do it.


	4. The Curse of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Louis is faced with the curse of change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Trauma from verbal/emotional abuse (and general references to the abuse) mentioned. It's not in main tags because it's very slight, but it's basically the first three short paragraphs if you need to skim/skip.

Over the next few weeks, Louis seemed to see Simon everywhere. He came to watch Louis singing with the children of the village, standing back and listening coolly, sometimes wrinkling his nose in disgust or plugging his ears if they struggled too much with pitch. When Louis wasn’t singing with the children, Simon would still join them, pointing out the many things they should be learning or doing instead. Afterwards, he’d follow Louis to his home sometimes, telling him stories about his travels: all the towns that wouldn’t let him stay and the people he’d known and lost along the way. 

It wasn’t something Louis was proud of, but he’d begun hoping that Simon would stop tagging along. His rudeness had made a couple of the younger children cry once or twice, and although he’d backed off when Louis admonished him over it, he hadn’t really changed his behavior for long. The last thing he wanted, though, was to make Simon feel as though he’d failed at becoming part of yet another village. No, he’d do his best to help him see that things were good and this village different from the rest, even if it meant putting up with his sour faces and harsh complaints. 

Near the end of the summer, however, he’d almost lost his resolve. Simon’s behavior was getting worse, his criticism less general and more targeted, and Louis worried that it was affecting the children. When he saw one of them flinch at the sound of Simon’s voice, he knew he’d let things go too far. 

“Let’s take a break from singing, eh? The sky’s full of clouds and we’ve not watched them in ages!” He looked quickly toward the sky and pointed toward a long, wispy cloud that trailed out over the mountains. “That could be a dragon, couldn’t it? Which one of you can come up with the best dragon story, hm?” 

Some of the children raised their hands and he shook his head playfully. “Ah-ah-ah,” he said, wagging his finger. “Use the clouds! Then we’ll share them.” Most of the children laid down in the grass while others stood, looking up toward the sky, and Louis turned to Simon with a nervous smile. “Can we have a chat?” he asked quietly. 

Simon nodded, gesturing for Louis to follow him. As they walked toward Simon’s hut, Louis tried to talk to him but Simon raised his finger and shook his head, motioning toward the hut instead. Louis went along, still trying to figure out exactly how he could say what he needed to. 

When they reached the hut, Simon entered and Louis followed slowly. He’d never been inside Simon’s home before, though he’d invited Simon into his home a few times. The interior was lit in a strange orange glow, eerily unlike a candle and yet just as bright. It smelled foul, and Louis wrinkled his nose, trying not to cough at the stench. “Sit,” Simon said, gesturing toward a stump that was serving as the only chair. 

“You don’t want me around anymore, do you?” Simon said, back turned to Louis. 

“I--” Louis started to protest, but stopped himself. “The children are getting uncomfortable, Simon, and that’s what’s most important. If it helps you can still come ‘round to see me, have a chat sometimes. Harry’ll be back soon and he makes a carrot soup that’s brilliant in the fall. Won’t be so bad, maybe.” 

Simon’s laugh interrupted Louis before he could continue. “I don’t want to spend time with you, Louis. You disgust me. You and your true love and your singing. All your smiles.” He spat the word out like it left a bitter taste on his tongue. “No, it’s taken me a while to decide what you deserved, and I’ve finally figured it out.” At that, he turned and held out a glowing orange stone toward Louis. It cast his face in a macabre shadow, and Louis shivered at the sight. 

“Sorry?” Louis shook his head, thinking he must be hearing things or having some strange flight of fancy. “I don’t think I heard you right.” 

“You did,” Simon said, reaching down to take Louis’ hand and open his fingers, shoving the stone into his palm and closing them around it tightly. “And now you have this. Now go.” He stepped closer to Louis, his nose almost pressing against Louis’ as he shouted, “GO” into his face, his foul breath stinging Louis’ nostrils as he fell from the stool, racing to get out of the room. 

When he scrambled into the sunlight, the first thing he noticed was his vision going in and out of focus. He looked up and saw the cloud in the sky, the dragon he’d pointed out to the children, and then noticed a bird flying through it. He blinked, and the cloud seemed to have vanished, though the bird was now in sharp relief, each of its feathers perfectly defined and its quick heartbeat hammering at Louis’ ears. 

He moved to cover his eyes and realized his arms felt like they’d lost their range of motion. He looked down and watched as his clothes ripped away, scales forming over his body as it lengthened and his arms grew shorter. He tried to scream, but found his voice had changed to a trilling sort of roar. When he tried again, his breath burned in his throat and the trilling was replaced with a slight click-click-clicking that reminded him of using a piece of flint to start a fire. 

As he fell to the ground with two sharp pains in his back, it occurred to him what might be happening. He turned back toward Simon’s hut and watched as the man walked out into the sun, looking down at him with a sickening smile on his face. 

“Try getting help from your perfect village now, _dragon_ ” he said, kicking dust toward Louis and laughing. “You thought you couldn’t be like me, but you are and you will be.” He moved toward Louis quickly, making as if to kick him, and Louis reared back, instinctually flapping the wings that had sprouted from his back until he was up in the air above Simon’s head. “Now fly away!”

Louis complied. He could do little else. They hadn’t had a dragon nearby in a long time, but the villagers would surely kill him before he could find a way to make them understand. As he flew upward, he tried to ignore the screams of the children below. Would Simon even come to get them? Would he tell them that Louis had been killed? Or perhaps just taken? 

Louis spotted a cave in the mountain with his keen eyes, and immediately flew toward it, gripping onto the rocky cliff with his talons to help him climb inside. It wasn’t much, but it was shelter, and it was certainly high enough that few villagers would dare to venture up. And they were still without a knight for the time being-- they wouldn’t have one until Harry returned. 

Harry. Thinking of him made tears spring to Louis’ eyes, the droplets turning to steam as they rolled down Louis’ face. He might never see Harry again, or he might see Harry only to be killed by him. Or perhaps whatever Simon had done to him-- whatever curse laid waiting inside that stone --would slowly make Louis become more and more like a real dragon until he’d kill Harry were they ever to face off. No. Louis shook his head forcefully. He wouldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t. “Harry,” he tried to say, the name coming out in a soft, rolling purr. As long as he was alive, he’d keep his true love in his heart. Even if it was the only thing he could do.


	5. Harry Comes Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein a newly knighted Harry returns to the village.

Meanwhile, the news of the dragon coming shook the town to its very core. Some of the children worried that they’d summoned it with their stories, and though their parents told them it was impossible, Simon made sure to pull them aside when he could and tell them it was not only possible, but likely. “Dragons are often called by children unawares. Now you’ll know not to have so much fun making up silly stories, won’t you?” When they ran away crying, he smiled to himself. It was almost too easy. 

Without a knight, most of the villagers were spending the days indoors, hiding away. Nobody was singing or laughing, and the market stalls were empty. They held a meeting in the big barn at the edge of town, trying to determine what to do about the dragon. Should they wait for Harry, even though Louis was gone? Would he want time to mourn his true love, or would he learn of what happened and attempt to jump into battle immediately? 

Simon spoke up from the back of the meeting. “Harry should slay the dragon,” he said, voice full of emotion. “For his true love.” A few of the villagers began crying, holding onto their true loves if they’d found them. Everyone else nodded in agreement. 

“What you say honors true love,” the town leader said once the tears had died down. “And that’s something we strive to do in this town. We will wait for Harry.” She grabbed the hand of her own true love and held it tight and Simon bowed his head, pleased that they’d bought his line so completely. Louis would suffer even longer, and meet his end at Harry’s hand. Nothing could be better. 

Harry returned a few days before the fall, expecting to find the town in the midst of its usual singing and dancing and preparation for the harvest. The celebration had always been one of his favorites, and coming home with the knowledge and ability to defend his village would only make it that much sweeter. What he found instead-- the town practically shuttered and completely quiet --had him rushing home, anxious to hear what had happened to cause such a swift change from earlier in the summer. 

As he approached his home, the sense of dread that he’d begun to feel while riding through town grew and grew until it was all around him. The home that he kept with Louis, which was usually so full of light and love, was dark. No candle burned in the window, and the garden in the front was unkempt. Their cat was fed, but little else was done around the house. It wasn’t like Louis to leave their home this way. Something was wrong. It had to be. 

When Harry knocked on Niall’s door, he hoped to find Louis on the other side, sitting at the table with an explanation that he’d give after a long hug and a kiss or two. Instead, he was met with Niall’s usually bright eyes looking red-rimmed from crying and a serious expression on his face instead of a smile. “C’mon in,” he said quietly, offering Harry a seat at his table. “I’ve got some bad news, m’afraid.” 

Niall explained everything to Harry as best he could, from Louis’ disappearance coinciding with the dragon being spotted flying above the town to the decision to wait for Harry’s return before making any moves. “I know I’m not a knight, but I’ll go along if you need me to,” he said as he finished the tale. He slid a mug of tea toward Harry and nodded. “Anythin’ for true love.” 

Harry nodded, though truly he was lost in thought. There were so many things he could do, so many paths he could take, and yet none of them felt right without Louis at his side. Or at least waiting at the other end, alive and safe and smiling. 

But Harry was a knight, and knights made bold and brave choices. Many knights even swore that their true love was their town or their sword or leaders they pledged loyalty to. Harry had never understood it, but now it made some kind of sense. A knight never left their sword, and if they parted from their town or their leader it was only through their own death. It pained him to consider it, but there was only one thing to do. 

“I’ll need you to look after the cat and pull a few weeds from the garden, but I have to face this mission alone. If Louis lives, I will find him and slay the dragon who took him. And if Louis is gone, I will slay the dragon and swear my love and loyalty to the village until my dying day.” Harry stood slowly, not having touched his tea or truly rested and yet feeling ready to begin planning his attack. “First I’ll need to speak with anyone who was near when Louis disappeared. Perhaps you can take me to them?”


	6. Harry Investigates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Harry learns more about Louis' disappearance.

Niall did better than that. He led Harry to his bed and told him to rest, going out and speaking with all the people of the village and gathering them into small groups that he brought to Harry one by one starting early the next morning. He started with the children, who bravely held back tears as they talked about their last moments with Louis and the sudden appearance of the dragon rising up from the forest. 

Harry noted it all, keeping track of any differences in their stories. They were mostly the same, save for a few children who claimed to have heard Simon shouting something just before the dragon appeared. When Harry asked about Simon, however, the children turned nervous, some ceasing to talk altogether. The few who were willing and able to say something about Simon all expressed the same sentiment about him-- he was angry, mean, and smelled terrible. 

“What can you tell me about this Simon?” Harry asked Niall as they ate together. Harry had just finished speaking with all the children and would see the adults who’d heard or seen anything-- including Simon --the following day. 

Niall chewed slowly, not looking up at Harry until he’d swallowed his food and sipped his tea and straightened his napkin in his lap. “There’s somethin’ strange about him,” Niall said carefully. “Can’t quite put my finger on it, but he makes my skin crawl. Acts like he’s bein’ real nice to you, but in the end you feel like he stole your smile away.” Niall shivered. “Louis really tried to make him feel welcome, even let him come along while he sang and played with the kids. Guess he saw somethin’ good there, though what it was I don’t know.” 

Of course, that was Louis. Welcoming. Warm. Kind. Always encouraging people who were struggling and trying to make the most of any bad situation. Harry felt that light that Louis gave off just from thinking about him now. He sighed, remembering his own worries about training for knighthood and Louis’ unyielding belief that if Harry wanted it, he could do it. 

“You’ll find him,” Niall said, putting his hand on Harry’s shoulder and giving it a quick squeeze. “I really believe you will.” Harry put his hand over Niall’s and tried to give him a smile through the tears that were welling up in his eyes. 

“I think Simon is going to be the key, somehow,” Harry said, sniffing back his tears. “And after tomorrow I can formulate a plan and get started. If Lou is alive, I have to find him. He has to know I will.” 

In a cave near the top of the stony mountains on the edge of the village, Louis lay curled in on himself, humming a tune in the high, thin tone that he could produce when he held back his fire. Harry was always in his heart and his thoughts, but now it was as if he could hear him, his deep voice resonating through the cave. “If Lou is alive, I have to find him.” He hummed his tune a little louder, fashioning it around the sound of Harry’s voice in his mind. He’d be found. And it would be alright. It would have to be. 

Now of course Simon had heard that Harry was back in town, though he’d known it even sooner, having hidden himself by the side of the long road that came into town as autumn grew nearer, knowing that Harry would be returning soon. He’d watched Harry ride in and taken a shortcut to watch him find his house empty, relishing the despondent look in his eyes when it became apparent that Louis wasn’t there. 

He didn’t know exactly why, but for the first time in a long time Simon felt sure that he was meant to give the power of the great death to this Harry. He’d tested so many people before choosing Louis for the curse, and he’d expected to use his final power later, in some other town where he found someone whose happiness made his stomach turn. But after he’d cursed Louis he’d become more and more certain that Harry must receive the great death, and he was growing eager to bestow it upon him. He only had to choose the right moment. 

During Harry’s talk with Simon, he learned a few important things: first, that Simon claimed Louis had looked up to him and seen him as a sort of mentor. Second, that Louis and Simon had gone to speak privately about the children’s singing just before the dragon appeared. Third and finally, he found that Simon claimed to have seen the dragon, but not necessarily Louis’ disappearance, though he was certain they’d happened almost simultaneously. 

“I can’t say for sure, but I believe that Louis ran from the dragon. I shouted for it to go, and it went deeper into the forest before taking off in flight. When I looked there, I found some shreds of Louis’ clothes.” Simon shrugged, shaking his head sadly. “If only Louis had stayed, he might still be alive and not half-digested in a dragon’s stomach.” 

Niall came from behind Harry and gripped his shoulder tightly. “Alright, Harry?” he asked, his voice clipped and gruffer than usual. 

“It’s okay,” he said, turning to look up at Niall. “If Simon was the last one to see Louis alive, I need to hear every word he has to say.” Turning to Simon, he asked, “can you show me where all this happened?” 

Simon nodded, his plan coalescing in his mind. He didn’t feel quite ready to join the goblin prince just yet, but he knew he was making the right choice. He stood and bade Harry to follow him, and Harry did, leaving Niall watching from his doorway with concern etched onto his face.


	7. Simon's End and Harry's Great Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Simon curses Harry and a plan is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: mild gore mid-way through, the paragraph beginning with "Simon looked grey..."

“It was just this way, right outside my hut,” Simon said, gesturing to a clearing where a dilapidated shelter stood. “The dragon must’ve been creep-crawling along, because I never saw her in the sky until she flew up the stony mountain.” 

Harry surveyed the scene, trying to imagine everything as Simon had explained it, though in truth he couldn’t really see Louis choosing to run from danger when the village children and an older man were nearby, unprotected. It was odd, really, that Harry had been the one to go train to be a knight when he’d always thought of Louis as the braver of the two of them, so sure of himself and able to make a decision in an instant, knowing in his heart what he wanted and needed to do without any of the extraneous thought that always bogged Harry down. 

“If you’ll excuse me, I just need to get something from inside,” Simon said, interrupting Harry’s little reverie. He was anxious now, thinking of how the great death would change how Harry saw things, how he acted, even what he believed. Perhaps his love for Louis would be replaced with hate, or he’d become a sniveling coward, crying and begging for Simon’s mercy. The possibilities were endless, and Simon wondered why he’d ever thought this power anything but wondrous.

The need to give Harry the great death practically thudding inside of Simon like a heartbeat now, he walked into the cool darkness of his hut and placed his fist over his chest, knocking hard three times where his heart should’ve been. A sharp black stone appeared when he opened his hand, and he knew he only needed to give it to Harry to complete his task. 

“I’ve just remembered something,” Simon said as he emerged from the hut. Harry looked up, a faraway gleam still in his eyes, and Simon had the fleeting hope that he’d get to learn of Harry’s fate even after he took his place as one of the goblin prince’s minions. “I found this amongst Louis’ things when he disappeared. Hold out your hand.” 

Harry opened his hand and Simon pressed the black stone into the center of his palm, hard enough that Harry began to bleed. “What is it?” Harry asked, dazed. The moment that Simon had left the hut, it was as though Harry was surrounded by a heavy fog inside his mind, obscuring everything except what was right in front of him. He watched as blood welled up from the cut in his hand, moving his eyes slowly up Simon’s arm until their eyes met. 

Simon looked grey, the skin around his eyes sagging unnaturally, and Harry struggled to focus on what was happening. He blinked, trying to focus on Simon’s mouth even as it turned a sickly shade of blue. “You’re receiving the power of the great death, Harry. It ends my own life, but it will take the one you know too. A part of you will die, and something new will be born in you. Something awful, I’m sure. In the end, you’ll have nothing.” He gagged on the words, but kept a tight grip on the stone, piercing Harry’s palm deeper. “Both of you. Nothing.” 

Harry felt himself being dragged back and away, the stone stuck into the palm of his hand as Simon’s features turned formless and dark, the strong stench causing Harry’s eyes to water as he slowly came back to himself. Behind him, he heard the sound of retching and turned to see Niall leaning into the bushes. When he looked back to where Simon had stood, he saw nothing but a pile of the most fetid dung he’d ever smelled, and he immediately covered his nose and mouth, scrambling to Niall’s side. 

“What was that?” Niall asked, his face pale and his hands shaking as he looked between Harry and the pile of shit that had once been Simon. “What was he doin’ to you? Did he do the same to Louis?” 

Harry looked down at his palm and pulled out the piece of flint, turning it in his hand carefully. The cut that had been open moments before sealed up, only to form an amorphous black shape on Harry’s palm. “He called it the great death? I’ve never heard of it. He said it would take the life I know. That he was leaving Louis and I with nothing.” Harry shook his head. “None of it made sense.” 

“I’m so glad I followed you,” Niall said, pulling Harry into a hug. “You weren’t moving away from him when he was turning all grey and I sort of thought he was going to take you with ‘im. ‘M glad you’re ok.” 

Harry swallowed hard, gripping Niall tighter. “You might’ve just saved me, Niall. Not sure what was happening, but it was wrong as soon as he came back out. I couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but just be there.” 

“What’re you gonna do next?” Niall asked, stepping out of their hug but keeping his hands solidly on Harry’s shoulders. 

“Rest tonight, then start the climb tomorrow. The answers are with the dragon. I’ll find it and go from there.” Harry said it all without a second thought, the actions he needed to take clearer than they’d ever been before.

Niall looked at him curiously. “That’s the most certain I’ve ever heard you be. You sure you’re still Harry?” 

“Yeah,” Harry said, nodding. “It’s strange, though. It’s like--” he stopped, holding his breath for a moment and then letting it go. “Nevermind, actually. It’s good, anyway. I know what I need to do, and it’s happening first thing tomorrow.” 

From his cave high atop the stony mountain, Louis could see much of what happened that day at Simon’s hut. He watched Niall following quietly behind Harry and Simon’s strange transformation, and he saw the look of resolve on Harry’s face when all was said and done. Though he couldn’t be sure how it would go, he felt certain that he’d be face to face with Harry again soon. He could only hope that it wouldn’t end badly. 

As he watched Harry and Niall walk away, he sang the song that he’d been composing, the words tumbling down the mountainside in soft purrs and trills instead of the higher humming sound he usually made. He saw them stop and turn, staring up at the mountain, and wondered if either of them could hear what he was really trying to say, or if they thought they were just catching some unusual birdsong on the wind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: It doesn't come up in the story, but the song that Louis sings to himself is "Just Hold On." I think it would sound nice in dragon.


	8. Harry and Niall Set Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Harry and Niall begin their journey to find Louis.

When Harry woke the next morning, he felt more ready than ever to face whatever lay ahead of him. He gathered his dagger and a slingshot, not wanting heavy weaponry to weigh him down for his climb, and packed water and a bit of food to sustain him for a couple of days. Niall was waiting for him, holding a small pack of his own and a mug of tea. 

“I’m coming with you,” Niall said matter-of-factly, meeting Harry’s eyes with a stern look on his face. “The climb is hard to do alone, and with two of us--” 

“It’ll be much easier. Don’t worry, Ni, I knew yesterday that I wanted you to come along, but I didn’t want to pressure you by asking. Figured you’d be ready if you wanted to join me, and if you didn’t I’d find a way to go it alone.” Harry grabbed a piece of fruit from the table and took a sip of Niall’s tea. “We should leave before the sun gets too high.” 

“After we both eat more than fruit.” Niall took the banana from Harry’s hand and set it down, setting a plate of food on the table with a nod. “Already made breakfast,” he said through a grin. 

They set out soon after, walking quickly to the base of the mountain and starting their trek upwards. The mountain had three distinct zones that they’d need to pass through in order to get to its peak. The first was the easiest. Here the stony mountain had bits of moss and lichen growing, along with a few patches where the trails opened up onto flat vistas that were perfect for having a picnic or enjoying a sky full of clouds. Harry and Louis had spent many days here in their youth, lying on their backs and talking about their dreams, not holding back a single word from one another. Today, Harry and Niall hoped to pass through quickly, making it to the second zone by mid-morning. 

The second zone was marked by fewer vistas and rockier trails, including some spots that required finesse to pass through. When they came to the first of these, a patch where the trail had crumbled and the only way to continue was to grip a rocky outcropping and swing over onto the more stable path, Harry went first, the fear he might’ve felt doing this in his training having vanished. Niall followed him, taking a few tries, and the two of them decided it was a good time to rest. Harry looked up, surveying the mountainside that stretched into the sky above them. 

“I’d like to make it to the end of the second zone today and then continue tomorrow. If I’m right, the dragon’s cave is there.” He pointed near the peak of the mountain, where fog was rolling down in flowing swaths. “There’s steam mixing with the fog there, rising up while the fog falls. And it’s strange, but I’m hearing a song that reminds me of Lou. Of something he used to sing.” 

Niall took a long sip of water and squinted up the mountainside. “I hear it too. Does sound like a tune I heard Louis hummin’ a lot. But it’s not his voice doing the singing, is it?” 

They both knew the answer. From the cave, Louis could hear every word they were saying, could sense the hesitation in their voices as they spoke about his song. He stopped singing and began humming, hoping they’d pick up on the change and question it. Though he could hear the change in Harry’s heartbeat when he began humming, neither Harry nor Niall said anything about it, sharing their water and some fruit before continuing on up the treacherous mountainside. 

When Harry found a cave near the end of the second zone several hours later, he nodded toward it, setting his pack down in the entrance. “We’ll stop here for the night. Not as far along as we’d like, but it’s better to have cover for resting than trying to curl up on the rocky path.” Niall agreed and they settled in, sharing some of their rations before lying down to sleep. 

Harry dreamed he was face to face with the dragon, and that it looked as though it was ready to burst into tears. Though its eyes were distinctly those of a dragon, they reminded Harry of the blue of Louis’ eyes and the emotion he’d seen behind them each time he needed to leave the village for more knight training. Though Louis never spoke of his feelings, Harry could always see something was wrong. 

Harry was sure that he couldn’t speak, and so he didn’t try to, communicating as much as he could with his eyes and his hands. The dragon seemed to understand, letting Harry get closer until he could brush the dragon’s face with his hand, the warm smoothness of its scales strangely comforting and familiar. “You can talk to me,” the dragon said to Harry, his voice like Louis’ and yet not. Harry gasped, eyes opening from his sleep and looking around the cave to see nothing but darkness and the hint of the moon in the sky outside the entrance. 

Louis had hovered outside the cave for just a moment, afraid that he’d be seen from the village below or that the gentle flapping of his wings would rouse Harry or Niall. When Harry had reached out in his sleep, Louis wanted nothing more than to be there with him. He wanted to take Harry’s hand and let him spill out his worries of not being a good enough knight and his fears that he was abandoning Louis by training. He wanted to hold him, talk to him, be with him as they were meant to be. 

He listened to the change in Harry’s breathing that meant he was on the verge of waking and flew away in the nick of time, climbing back into his cave and letting the sounds of Harry trying and failing to fall back asleep fill his mind until it was the only thing he could hear.


	9. Harry Meets the Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Harry encounters the dragon.

Early the next morning, Harry woke to a thick fog blanketing the sky around the mountain, blocking out all traces of blue in the sky and any hint of the sun. They weren’t so far from the dragon’s cave now, and Harry could hear the faint sounds of it clicking and trilling, the pattern of it almost speech-like even if the noises themselves were not. He found himself straining to listen as he was eating breakfast and getting ready to continue his journey up the mountain. 

“Does it feel as though he’s trying to talk with us?” Harry asked as he and Niall stepped out into the chilly air. 

“He?” Niall looked at Harry curiously. “What makes you think it’s a he? And aren’t most dragons females, or is that just a myth?” 

Harry scratched his head for a moment, unsure how to answer. He didn’t know _why_ he’d suddenly started thinking of the dragon as a he, only that he had. “They are, yeah. I just have a strange feeling about him-- it --that’s all.” With that, he began the leading the way up the mountain, onto the final leg of their journey. 

The third zone was dangerous and mostly uncharted, and would require the utmost care from both Harry and Niall. There were no paths here, simply a few meager ledges and handholds whose strength hadn’t been tested in years, so the danger of falling was great. To make matters worse, a drizzly rain had begun to fall, the water soaking through their clothes and nearly freezing their fingers to the bone. 

“I can hardly feel my hands,” Niall said, his teeth chattering. He’d grabbed a few unsteady handholds already, and he had a scrape on his forehead. He rubbed at his nose, and Harry noticed that his fingers were bright red at the knuckles and slowly going pale at the tips. Looking around, he spotted a cave that was much smaller than the one they’d slept in last night but deep enough to give a person shelter from the elements. 

“You’re close to getting frostbite. Can’t let you continue, Nialler.” Harry nodded toward the cave. “Stay in there. Warm your hands up slowly. They’ll burn for a bit, but hopefully you’ll be okay. When we return, we’ll help you out and make it back down together.” 

“We?” Niall edged closer to Harry, reaching out to take hold of a rock and nearly missing. Harry grabbed his arm and held it steady, letting Niall move his weight onto the thin ledge that led to the cave. 

“Louis and I,” Harry said after Niall had made his way into the cave. “I know he’s up there. I’m sure of it. And I’m going to find him.” 

Niall nodded gravely and wished Harry good luck, and then Harry was on his way. Though he wished Niall could’ve gone farther on the journey, he somehow knew that this was right. He was meant to meet the dragon alone. 

The climb only got worse from there. Harry struggled to avoid the rocks that would occasionally slide down the mountain, the smaller ones that were often impossible to dodge leaving cuts on his knuckles and cheek. The rain began to fall harder, and Harry’s light pack grew heavy, his arms getting more tired by the second as he fought his way up the mountain. In the moments when he felt most like giving up, he’d hear the dragon trilling through the tune he’d been humming the day before, and he’d push onward, thoughts of Louis lifting him higher. 

By the time Harry was within reach of the dragon’s cave, the sky had darkened almost completely, the fog shifting into storm clouds that had only gotten larger and more ominous as the day wore on. The stone of the mountain, however, had grown noticeably warmer, the dragon’s heat penetrating through the rock and radiating outwards. It made the end of Harry’s journey just slightly easier, and he allowed himself a moment to press closer to the warmth as he went through his plan one more time. 

Upon arriving at the dragon’s cave, he’d make sure the dragon was facing away from the entrance. Dragons were typically nocturnal, so the chance of this should be good. He’d first look for Louis, and then if he saw evidence of Louis’ death, he’d attempt to slay the dragon with a dagger through the heart. It was risky, but possible. If he saw Louis, he’d need to subdue the dragon first. For that he’d brought along a sleep inducing potion that was absorbed through the skin. Once that was done, he’d free Louis and determine what was to be done with the dragon. 

The dragon had been quiet for a while, and so Harry risked a look inside the cave. The dragon was curled up, head tucked against his chest and his tail resting under his head like a pillow. His scales were a vibrant blue that seemed to glow even in the dim light of the cave, and Harry watched in awe as they shifted along with the dragon’s breath. The color reminded him of Louis’ eyes, and he thought of how many times he’d taken for granted just being able to look into them and how much he wanted to do it again. 

He climbed into the cave, careful to move as quietly as possible. He swore he heard his name being spoken from somewhere inside, and he crept in farther, craning his neck to catch the faint sound. He stayed close to the edge of the cave, keeping his distance from the dragon’s sleeping body, soon realizing that he’d need to get closer to it in order to explore any deeper. He drew his dagger and inched forward carefully. 

“Hrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyy.” 

The hairs on Harry’s neck stood on end as the sound filled the cave. He stopped breathing, his body going stock-still as he shifted his eyes around the cave. It sounded like his name. But it also sounded like the trilling sounds the dragon had been making earlier. And strangest of all, it sounded like Louis. 

Slowly, the dragon turned toward Harry. His head was bowed, and he moved carefully, tucking his tail close to his body. He flicked his eyes up to Harry’s face and made the same low, rolling sound. “Hrrrrrrrrrryyyyy.” 

Louis’ heart was pounding in his chest, and he struggled to tame it. He’d been listening carefully to Harry all day, following the steady beat of his heart and the sound of his breath and keeping track of all of it in his mind, noticing Harry’s exhaustion as well as his determination. Looking at him now was a strange thing indeed. Louis was able to see every detail of him with the utmost clarity, from the scuffs on his shoes to the fresh droplet of blood that was about to spill from the cut on his cheek and each fleck of color in his lovely green eyes. It was enough to make him cry. 

The sound came out as a series of little clicks, and Harry shifted slightly, unsure of what was happening. Louis tried to hold back, but he couldn’t, and soon enough there were tears coming from his eyes and evaporating to steam as they neared the end of his nose. He looked at Harry pitifully and then tilted his head back down, not wanting to look in his eyes any longer. 

Harry couldn’t explain it, but somehow he knew that the dragon wouldn’t harm him. He sheathed his dagger and moved forward slowly, head ducked and his hand out palm down. “It’s ok, dragon. You’re not going to hurt me, are you?” The dragon shook his head back and forth, the clicking sounds it was making slowly just a little. “I’d like to touch you if that’s alright. Just your nose?” 

The dragon nodded this time, keeping his head down and his eyes closed as Harry reached out and stroked his nose tentatively. The clicking sounds grew a bit louder, and the dragon’s tears were falling faster, some of the water rolling off his face before they could evaporate. Harry smoothed his hands over the dragon’s head, ignoring the heat of its skin and focusing on stopping his tears instead. “I won’t hurt you, dragon. You didn’t hurt Louis, did you?” The dragon shifted his eyes up toward Harry pleadingly and shook his head slightly. “Of course not.” He patted the dragon’s head gently. 

They stayed like that for a while, Harry petting the dragon’s nose and face and the dragon click-clicking softly as tears rolled from his eyes. But the warmth of the cave soon proved too much for Harry, and he felt himself getting drowsier by the second. The dragon’s tears began to subside and he laid down, letting his tail curl farther out from his body this time. He nudged at Harry’s hand and then cast his eyes toward his tail, giving it a little flick for good measure. 

“You want me to lie down with you?” Harry asked. The dragon gave a single decisive nod and Harry laughed. “I’m not sure why I trust you so much, but I do.” At that, the dragon purred deep in the back of his throat until two tiny puffs of smoke blew out of his nostrils. 

Harry laid down and fell asleep much more quickly than he’d expected to, without a thought of eating or drinking. Each moment in the cave only deepened his conviction that the dragon was the key to finding Louis, and that harming him would be the worst thing to do. As he slept, Harry dreamed of leaving the cave with the dragon, picking up Niall and flying down to the place where Simon’s hut still stood. In his dream, he understood every word the dragon said, and followed him to a place where Louis was hidden, lonely and afraid but safe. Harry woke with his arms around the dragon’s tail and the first light of dawn spilling into the cave. He knew just what he had to do.


	10. The Dragon Comes Down the Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Harry, Niall, and the dragon return to the outskirts of the village.

For the first time since he’d flown up to hide in the cave, Louis slept through the night. He kept dreaming of himself falling through worlds, always being rescued by Harry only to slip into the next one alone again. It wasn’t until the edges of his sleep that his dreams settled into something more comforting. This time when Harry rescued Louis, he held onto him tightly, not letting him slide into whatever world was trying to take him next. They stayed like that until Louis awoke to find Harry lying with his face pressed against Louis’ tail, still soft from sleep but on the edge of awakening. Louis laid his head back down and closed his eyes. 

“Can you fly?” Harry asked as he turned from looking out of the cave’s entrance and down the steep mountainside below. The dragon nodded and Harry looked down once more, staring for a long moment before turning back around. “With two people on your back?” The dragon nodded, but with a low clicking sound in the back of his throat. “Not sure then,” Harry said, the dragon giving another small single nod. 

Harry knew they should try it anyway. He climbed onto the dragon’s back, his legs squeezing against its sides and his arms wrapped tightly around its neck. Niall would need to hold onto him for the trip down, though Harry feared that might be too much weight for the dragon to hold for long. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the fear that tugged at his mind, but as they started their slow descent, he found that it only grew worse. By the time they approached the cave that Niall was in, Harry was sure of what needed to happen. 

“Please, stay here,” he said, waiting for the feeling of the dragon nodding under his hands before he reached out for a hold. He swung himself off the dragon’s back when he grabbed the handhold, the cold stone sending shocks of pain through his fingers. He’d forgotten how warm the dragon was and just how comfortable he’d been in the cave, and he silently cursed at himself for forgetting that Niall was down here trying to hide from the cold on his own. 

“Haz!” Niall shouted from a corner of the cave. It went much deeper than Harry had realized, and the inside, though cool, seemed to be much more mild than it was outside. “Know it’s only been a day, but I was starting to get worried. I’m so glad you’re alive.” He embraced Harry and then took a step back, looking him over carefully. “Did ya kill it?” 

“No!” Harry said, dismayed that Niall would assume he had. “There wasn’t a need.” 

Niall stared back at Harry, his brows knit together and his mouth twisted. After a moment, he said, “You don’t have Lou with you. But the dragon’s not dead. Thought you had that as your plan. And how can you be sure it’s not--” 

Harry followed Niall’s eyes toward the cave entrance, where the dragon was delicately perched on the rocky ledge, his front claws grabbing at a rock nearby to hold himself steady. “It’s alright. He’s going to help us,” Harry said calmly. 

“Help us die by roastin’ us? Or maybe tossin’ us off the mountainside one at a time?” Niall backed away, shaking his head as Harry moved toward the entrance with slow, steady steps. 

“He’s friendly, Niall. Look.” Harry reached out his hand and the dragon put his head under it, purring softly. “He can help me find Louis. Can’t you?” The dragon nodded slowly and clicked, hesitant but determined, if Harry was reading the look in his eyes properly. He hoped he was. 

Niall edged forward in slow steps, not taking his eyes off the dragon. “Are other dragons like this?” He was still too far away to touch, but he stuck his hand out as if letting the dragon take a sniff. 

“Never met one. Knight training covered how to kill dragons and how to protect your village in case of attack, but it’s been so long since any have been seen around here that everything was just passed down through stories and lessons. They never told us that dragons could understand us or communicate in any way.” Harry nodded toward the dragon. “He might be an exception. I’ll figure out a way to learn all about him after we find Louis.” 

“Easy,” Niall said, his hand finally brushing the dragon’s nose. “Don’t mean you any harm, dragon. I’m a friend of Harry and Louis.” The dragon hummed at him, a little snippet of the tune that Harry and Niall had heard as they climbed up the mountain. “There, that’s Louis’ song! He must’ve taught it to you.” The dragon purred and Harry watched as Niall visibly relaxed, ready to accept that the dragon was, if not entirely safe, at least to be trusted. 

“Alright, the dragon here can fly us down, but I don’t think he can take us both at once. We’ll need to go separately. I’d like it if you went first.” Niall nodded in agreement and Harry continued on. “Glad you won’t fight me on that. He’ll come back for me and then we’ll need to figure out what he saw happen between Simon and Louis. Whatever he saw will be the missing piece in all of this.”

Harry helped Niall onto the dragon’s back and watched from inside the cave as they sailed down the mountain, mostly hidden by the fog. There was a chance they’d be seen once they got closer to the ground, the dragon’s bright blue coloring sure to stand out against the greys and greens and browns of the mountain, but Harry hoped that anyone who saw them would choose to run and hide instead of trying to attack. 

Before long, the dragon was bursting through the fog again, his back empty as he made a careful landing by the cave. Harry climbed onto his back once more and held tight, staring out over the land as they cleared the fog. The view was stunning, with the village stretched out below them like a carefully stitched quilt, the tiny homes looking like perfect little squares arranged in a row. Beyond that, Harry could almost see as far as the capital, where he’d done his knight training, the river winding between the two places he knew like the slithering of a snake. 

“Louis would love this,” Harry said, mostly to himself. He wasn’t sure the dragon could hear him or really understand the finer points he might make, anyway. “He enjoys the village, but I know he’d like to see more. Travel with me, maybe, or just find a way to learn about what else is out there. We’re going to do that, once I find him.” Harry held tighter to the dragon’s neck as they began getting closer to the ground. “Maybe you can give him a ride, too. Just one. Let him see what I saw.” The dragon trilled in return as they were landing, and Harry smiled at the pleased sound, eager to get down to business.


	11. Learning to Speak Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Harry and the dragon learn to communicate with one another.

Unfortunately business seemed to have other plans, and would not allow itself to be gotten down to. First, the dragon resisted going toward Simon’s hut. He puffed out a bit of smoke and dug his claws into the earth, ducking his head and shaking it vigorously when Harry or Niall tried to urge him forward. It was Niall who finally realized that the dragon was afraid of Simon, after he saw a flinch at the sound of Simon’s name. “He’s gone. Turned into a pile of dung,” Niall said, laughing when the dragon tilted his head curiously and leveled him with a look. “I’m serious. He went mad, put this sharp little rock in Harry’s hand, sayin’ somethin’ about a death stone, and then after I pulled Harry away he just--” Niall made a wet fart noise and opened his palms to the ground. “Pile of dung.” 

The dragon nosed at Harry’s hand urgently, a few high-pitched clicks coming from his throat. When Harry looked at him quizzically, the dragon seemed to huff a frustrated little sigh, nosing at his right hand until it was palm up. When he’d inspected it closely, he moved to the left hand, doing the same thing. Finally Harry realized what he was doing. “The mark has mostly faded. But the stone struck me here,” he said, pointing to what looked like a bruise in the center of his palm. “It healed over quickly. He said something about the great death that would make a part of me die and something new be born, leaving Louis and I with nothing. Only it didn’t kill me, obviously. And I can’t see a future with Louis that would leave me with nothing. He’s everything to me.” 

Harry was looking down at his hand as the dragon nudged past him, making his way toward Simon’s hut with a speed that Harry found a bit disconcerting. He and Niall followed behind as fast as they could, reaching the hut in time to see the dragon blast the drying pile of shit that had once been Simon with a single fiery breath. 

“Whoa, whoa,” Harry said, approaching the dragon carefully and smoothing his hand down its flank. The dragon calmed immediately, turning toward Harry and giving him a gentle nudge before looking back down at the smoking ground in front of him. Anything that might’ve been left of Simon was officially gone. “He must’ve hurt you,” Harry said, petting the dragon’s neck. “I just need to find a way for you to tell me what he did.” 

They tried yes and no questions for much of the day, but those were too limiting. It was nothing but a guessing game that left Harry with hardly any answers. The only thing he’d been able to determine for certain was that the dragon knew what had happened to Louis and that Simon had been the one that had done it. He’d also used some kind of stone, but it wasn’t like the one he’d given Harry in any way. 

Niall had come and gone a few times during the day, bringing Harry a change of clothes and some food and fending off the questions of a few villagers who thought they’d _possibly, maybe_ seen a dragon earlier that morning. He was getting ready to head home as night began to fall, and he hugged Harry before going on his way. 

“Don’t keep going with these questions much longer,” he said, patting Harry’s back. “Get some rest and try something new tomorrow.” He turned to the dragon and raised his hand to wave goodbye. “Get some rest, Bluey. Don’t let Harry here keep you awake all night.” 

The dragon trilled something back in return, a clipped quality to the sound that stuck in Harry’s ears. He realized as he watched Niall walk away that the dragon sometimes trilled and clicked with the same sort of cadence and rhythm that Louis had. It gave him an idea. 

“Okay, Blue. A couple more questions, and then we’ll try something different for a bit. First off, did you hear Louis speak a lot?” The dragon gave a decisive nod, and Harry smiled back at him. “Thought so. You sound like him. And you know the song he was writing when I left a while ago and all this summer?” The dragon nodded and trilled. 

“We’re going to try something. I want you to sing the words to the song. Sing them with your voice.” Harry waited as the dragon looked at him, ducking his head and clicking for a moment before he seemed to settle. Harry sat back and waited. “You can take your time, s’alright, Blue.” 

The dragon began to sing Louis’ song, the familiar melody filling the little clearing where they laid. Harry listened, eyes closed, motioning for the dragon to repeat the song when he’d finished. After several rounds of the song, Harry sat up and looked the dragon in the eyes. “I want you to try something, Blue. Just talk to me, tell me everything. I won’t understand a lot of it, but I think I might be able to get something. Just a few details.” 

Blinking nervously, the dragon began to speak. His speaking voice was softer than his singing voice or the sounds that he made to communicate emotions. Harry found that he could concentrate best if he was lying on his back, eyes closed, just listening to the trills and purrs and clicking sounds and letting them slot together into words behind his eyes. It wasn’t until a few minutes in that Harry really began to catch more of what he was being told, though. 

“Wait, wait. Children singing. You were there with the children, singing?” Harry asked, sitting up abruptly and opening his eyes to look at Blue. The dragon nodded, looking back at Harry to ask if he should continue. “Please, keep going. You were with the children singing. Could they see you?” The dragon confirmed and went on with his story. Harry began to catch more words, and realized that the dragon was speaking as if he had followed Simon. 

“Simon gave you something? Before he gave it to Louis, or afterward?” Harry looked into the dragon’s eyes and saw the beginning of tears, and he scooted forward, wrapping his arm around the dragon’s neck and rubbing under its chin with the back of his hand. “It’s alright, we can stop if you’d like.” The dragon whined and huffed dramatically and shook his head. 

Louis wanted to shout at Harry. Wanted to tell him to listen, really listen to what he was being told. “I’m Louis,” he said plaintively, holding back his tears. It was no good. He’d have to keep going and hope that Harry would catch on soon enough. He huffed and continued with his story. 

When the dragon had finished, Harry leaned against him and asked him to tell it all again. He listened, catching a few more words this time and filling in more gaps. He learned that the dragon had been there when Louis met Simon and had seen many of their interactions. He’d worried about the children seeming afraid of Simon just as Louis had. And then he’d been there, somehow, when Simon did something to Louis. 

“What I’m hearing doesn’t make sense. I can’t be understanding you, Blue. But I want to so badly.” Harry stood and looked the dragon in the eyes, the moon shining on them from high up in the sky. “It just sounds like you’re telling me Louis’ story, and I don’t see how it’s possible.” The dragon blinked and a hot tear fell from his eye, evaporating before it could reach Harry’s hand. He stared back at Harry, and it was like something shifted inside. 

He couldn’t explain it, but Harry was suddenly very sure that Louis was the dragon and the dragon was Louis. Without saying a word, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of the dragon’s nose, thinking as he did so that he’d found his love again, and they’d find a way to be together no matter what. “Lou,” he said after he’d ended the kiss. “It’s you, isn’t it?” 

The dragon nodded, and Harry surged forward, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheeks and shoulders. He took the dragon’s paw in his hand and held it tenderly, listening to Louis’ excited trills and purrs and the distinctive sound of his name, Hrrrrrryyyyyy, passing over Louis’ lips. He wasn’t the same, but he was. “Can’t take you back to the village yet, love, but we’ll sleep tonight and figure things out in the morning, if that’s alright?” Louis nodded and laid down, letting Harry nestle against his belly and chest as he curled his tail around them protectively. 

That night, they shared the same dream. It was a warm summer day and they were flying over the village, seeing everything through new eyes. The trees were greener and the clouds more expressive and entire world felt like a book that was waiting to be read. They sailed up the mountain hand in hand, diving down in loops until they landed safely home. Their home. Together.


	12. A Proper Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Harry and Louis are truly reunited (and it feels so good).

Harry awoke the next morning with a crick in his neck and a fine coating of dew on his bare skin. He stretched and yawned, snippets of his dream coming back to him jumbled and strange. It was only after a moment that he realized part of what he was remembering wasn’t a dream. He’d found Louis, and Louis was a dragon. A dragon who was not lying behind him, keeping away the chill. Harry shot up, looking behind him and seeing nothing but the shape of the dragon’s body imprinted in the grass. 

“Louis? Lou?” he called, suddenly afraid that it really had all been a dream, that he’d fallen asleep and the dragon had flown away and that Louis had never been there at all.” 

“Harry!” Louis called from behind a tree not far away. “I’m over here.” 

He hadn’t been a dream at all, then. Harry ran to him, throwing his arms around Louis’ thin frame and holding him tight. “Thought I’d made it all up, Lou. Thought I’d dreamed the dragon was you and that you were gone for good. Why didn’t you wake me?” 

Louis nuzzled into Harry’s neck, inhaling his scent and puffing out a warm breath against him. “Had to piss, honestly. Then realized I was naked and should cover up somehow. I’ve only been gone a moment, not long, I promise.” 

“You’re you again,” Harry said, still holding onto Louis tightly, not ready to let him go. “Thought you’d still be a dragon.” 

“Me too, love. Simon made it sound permanent. And then I sort of hoped that when you kissed me I’d change, but then I didn’t. And really I just woke up in the morning and realized I was back to myself.” Harry stroked up and down his side and Louis laughed. 

“Would’ve loved you like that, too, you know?” Harry whispered. “I was ready to start figuring out your language so we could talk to one another easily.” 

“And now we don’t have to.” 

“Holy shit, LOUIS!” Niall yelled loud enough that it echoed around them, and then ran toward Harry and Louis at a clip, practically tackling them to the ground. “You’re alive!” He was hugging the two of them tightly, not caring that Louis was naked or that he might’ve been interrupting a private moment. “Thought I’d never see you again. What happened? How’d Harry find you? Why--”

“I was the dragon, it’s very complicated, and Harry figured it out last night,” Louis said, holding back a grin. He’d missed Niall. He’d missed the children, too, and his other friends in the village. “Don’t suppose you have some extra clothes in there, do you?” He pointed to the pack that Niall was wearing. 

Once he was dressed, the three of them walked back into the village, Louis explaining that the dragon had been a trick that Simon had pulled to distract from having hidden Louis in a cave on the stony mountain. The villagers were grateful that the dragon was gone and not too upset that Simon had disappeared as well, and after promises of having a celebration for his safe return later, they let Harry and Louis and Niall leave. 

After they’d said their goodbyes to Niall, Louis and Harry returned home and ate a hearty meal-- it turned out Louis had been subsisting on insects and plants he could find around the mountain, not wanting to get into the habit of hunting prey animals --they climbed into bed and laid down next to each other, holding hands and letting their bodies brush against each other as they talked. It had grown late when Louis paused and looked at Harry, smiling at the sight of his true love looking back at him expectantly. He was just about to speak when Harry beat him to it. 

“I want us to marry, my love,” Harry said quietly. “To join together and never let go.” 

Louis smiled, bright as the sun. “Yes, of course. That’s as it should be.” 

Did they live happily ever after? Of course they did. This is that sort of story. They married, raised children, and were loved by everyone in their village. Louis built a stage for the children, and he taught them to sing and dance and do all sorts of practical things as well. Harry helped him, most days, though sometimes he was called upon to settle disputes and find lost pets and help the older children decide if they wanted to try training for knighthood themselves one day. 

They discovered soon after returning home, though, that they couldn’t stop thinking about flying away. They’d seen what felt like the edge of the rest of the world together, and some days the village seemed too small. On one of those nights, they left the house, walking together to the edge of the stony mountain. 

Harry led the way, not certain why they needed to go but sure that it was what should happen. And Louis walked alongside him, feeling a strange sort of humming vibration coming from deep inside him. When they reached the base of the mountain, he looked up at the moon, which was full and bright in the sky, and he knew what was happening. 

So he and Harry flew that night, the first of many nights that they took to the sky. The world was dark and different, but no less beautiful than it had been the first time they saw it together from so high up. And when they got back to the ground, Louis found he was able to change back with ease. They had their life in the village, the path of true love as it was written throughout history, and they had the life they’d found at the hands of someone malicious. And joining them all was what led them to their truest happiness with one another.


	13. Epilogue: Simon Returns to the Goblins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Simon returns to serve the goblins and gets the sort of ending he deserves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: If you haven't enjoyed reading the Simon-centric aspects of this story, you can skip the epilogue. But it does explain some things and is a pretty happy ending (in a very different way from the previous chapter's happy ending).

And what about Simon? Well, he felt himself melting away, his body being pulled apart in tiny pieces and then reassembled in the home of the dragon prince. His heart was on the floor, and so that was where he found himself, too. He looked down at his hands and moved them slowly, the motion feeling like nothing at all. 

“Your body is dead, remember,” he heard a voice saying from behind his shoulder. “I could break most of your bones and you’d still find a way to move, to _serve_ , feeling none of it.” 

He turned and saw the goblin prince and bowed to him slowly. The goblin rolled his eyes and pulled Simon up by his head. “Nope. That was my dad. He made you for me, the runt of his first horde and, um, a girl. I’m like, 28th in line for the throne. If that. You’re my first servant.” 

Simon narrowed his eyes at the goblin. “Made me for you? I struck a deal with him, and it worked out very well for me. I left a trail of bitterness and pain, and I tore apart the truest love I’d ever seen in revenge for my own love that was denied me. I suppose I’ll serve you, because I must, but I’m the winner here. I was smarter than any of my kind. If anything, I’ll help you advance here. With my intelligence and your...hmm, position? We’ll have you at 18th in line in no time.” 

The goblin was staring at Simon, a grin splitting her harsh features, and when Simon stopped speaking she burst into nearly silent laughter, shaking and wheezing as she shook her head. “Wowww, dad always said your kind were fools, especially the ones who made deals with us, but I never thought it would be like this. You’re stunning, though.” 

Simon glared at her, a fake smile pasted on his face as he fought back the urge to yell at her for belittling him. “You must excuse me--” 

“You can call me mistress.” 

“Very well. You must excuse me _mistress_ , but I see no good reason for your laughter. As I told you, I did just what I set out to do, and couldn’t have been more--” 

“Of a failure?” The goblin laughed for a moment, shaking her head in disbelief. “Do you know what happened to your former village after you left it?” She raised her eyebrows, waiting for his response. When he only sneered, she gave a shrug and then continued. “A few couldn’t get over the sadness and pain you left them with, but most found a way through. They came together and supported one another. Talked about how they felt. Ended up making paintings and writing songs and telling stories. They did something with it. And you?” 

“Went on my way. Lived and traveled. Did as I pleased.” Simon puffed up his chest in spite of the cold spike of frustration that shot through him as he thought of his first power not causing his intended victims the same sort of lasting pain that he’d felt. “And I left a trail of broken villages in my wake, all leading up to tearing apart a true love that could’ve been one for the ages. What’ve they got now? Nothing.” 

The goblin patted Simon’s head, her sharp fingernails leaving pinpricks on his scalp. “Oh you funky little loser. The curse you were given? It brings about change. And change is frightening for your kind, but not insurmountable. Might’ve been if you’d walked off. But remember how it comes back to you? How it changes you too? Nah, you didn’t remember that, or really consider it, did you?” 

Simon blinked at her, swallowing hard and trying to grasp what she could be saying. 

“When you used that curse, you changed yourself. You became the unwitting servant of true love. Every decision you made was made for the purpose of sustaining true love. Pretty brilliant, actually. That’s why curse magic is a favorite of mine.” She threw herself onto her bed and snapped her fingers, pointing at the ground in front of her. Simon kneeled there and she threw her feet onto his back, her toes smashing into the side of his face. 

“The best part though? You gave up your last power in service of love.” 

“But-- no, surely not --how?” Simon spluttered. 

“The death that you gave to Harry was the death of his own self-doubt. The same doubt which would’ve left him gathering every scrap of evidence to find his love. Which would’ve made climbing the stony mountain a journey of weeks instead of days. He might’ve died, even.” 

“What happened instead?” Simon asked, stomach roiling at everything the goblin was telling him. 

“Oh, that’s for me to know and you to find out, lovey.” She smiled to herself. The hordeling was a great fan of love, and she’d watched the whole tale of her servant unfold eagerly over the years. Now that she had Simon with her, well, she’d give him all the misery he craved. “Your first task is to help me find a suitable partner. They’ll be coming in shortly and we’ll review them all together until I make the happiest possible match. Now. Let’s begin.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> If you enjoyed this fic, please consider reblogging the [fic post](https://tmblr.co/Z0sn1v2cfw_EO) or saying hello on [tumblr](http://homosociallyyours.tumblr.com). A comment or kudos also means a lot!


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